Tesla Involved In Another Fatal Accident As Model S Veers Into Pond (Updated)

The driver of a Tesla Model S died after driving his car into a pond on Sunday night in Castro Valley, California.

His body wasn’t recovered until Monday morning by an Alameda County Sheriff’s rescue team, and authorities still don’t know why the man drove off the road and into the pond. A property owner nearby heard the crash on Sunday evening and called 911 after seeing that his fence had been damaged and noticed that there were tire tracks leading up to the pond.

“The vehicle was submerged…trees in the water made it difficult to tow it out,” stated CHP Sgt. Michael Novosel.

KTVU reporter Leigh Martinez was on location, where she learned that no other vehicles were suspected as being involved, according to CHP (California Highway Patrol) Castro Valley.

Authorities have yet to release the identity of the driver (adult male), while Tesla is also standing pat on making any official statements. Without a full investigation, it’s impossible to know anything regarding the condition of the driver or that of the vehicle prior to the crash.

Last week, the American EV-maker did release a statement with regards to another recent Model S accident, claiming that they have “not yet received any data from the car” and therefor don’t know any of the facts, “including whether Autopilot was engaged.”

We suspect the same could be said about this particular crash, which means we’ll just have to wait until all the facts are made public.

Update

Tesla released the following statement after analyzing the data following the crash: “We have been able to recover enough data from the vehicle to confirm that Autopilot was not engaged at the time of this accident.”

And this guy had to be going very fast to have that kind of roll damage before going into the lake.

Ron

So a car is involved in an accident and someone died. That happens multiple times every single day but for some reason this one makes the news because its a Tesla? No one knows if autopilot was even engaged at this point. I personally think Tesla has overstated and rushed its autopilot to the market but I have to defend them here, this hyperbole reporting of every Tesla accident is a little ridiculous.

Report on the thousands of people killed due to texting and driving, thats the real danger on our streets.

Brent Morrison

Because you people claim that Teslas are the safest cars in the world

Erzhik

They are safer, not safest. Safer because they have bigger crumple zones, that’s just common sense given no engine.

Brent Morrison

Lord Elon says otherwise. He thinks they’re safer than Volvos.

TheBelltower

I have yet to see the NHTSA conduct a “lake submersion” test. So we really don’t know how a Tesla would compare to a Volvo. Regarding the structure strength, a Tesla is stronger than any Volvo.

Aura

“Regarding the structure strength, a Tesla is stronger than any Volvo.” According to IIHS and Euro NCAP and a comparison of both body structures, you’re wrong.

TheBelltower

Nope. The Model X and S both receive five stars in all crash tests. Volvos do well too, but only four stars in some of the rollover tests.

Aura

By your logic the 2018 Toyota Camry is safer than the S, as it has five stars in every category of the NHTSA test, a higher Euro NCAP rating and the IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus which the S could not achieve. The S does not achieve the highest Euro NCAP score, nor any of the IIHS’ top ratings.

The rollover rating is resistance not crashworthiness. An SUV will have more body roll, the Model X is lucky because it has a lower roofline and heavy batteries to help it. Volvo S60 got five stars in the rollover rating. Intrusion levels and crash performance of Volvo’s are better according to IIHS and Euro NCAP. Two sources outweight one.

TheBelltower

Cherry pick as you wish. We could volley this back and forth all day. The reality is, the S was the first to achieve this level of crashworthiness with current crash standards. All of this is of no consequence regarding the article, which had nothing to do with structure strength, and everything to do with driving a car into a body of water.

Aura

I’m not cherry picking, the Volvo S60 got five stars in every category of the NHTSA test before the Tesla Model S. When the S was tested by Euro NCAP at the time, it was not the best result based on the data. When it was tested by IIHS, it was not the best result based on the data. It was tested two more times and showed worse intrusion in the small-overlap test.

This is relevant because you claimed the body structures are stronger in the Tesla’s than any Volvo, which is false. Tesla does not use as much boron steel in their body structure, not as much extra, very or high strength steel in integral locations as Volvo. This performance is evident through Euro NCAP and IIHS. Ratings don’t suggest the entire safety of a vehicle. The new Mercedes E Class gets better ratings than the Model S, by your logic it is safer because of those ratings.

The Model X also has not been tested by IIHS or Euro NCAP.

TheBelltower

Well, you are cherry picking. Regardless, can a Volvo float better than the Model S? No? Okay then. We are done.

Aura

The definition of cherry picking does not correlate to what I’m doing. You made a statement, which was Tesla’s structures are stronger than Volvo’s. The evidence shows otherwise.

ProtectOurHeritage

There have been no deaths in Volvo XC90s in the UK since 2004. That’s an amazing record! However, I guess they aren’t fitted with dangerous autonomous technology that encourages drivers to take their eyes off the road.

Nick099

The engine provides protection in a crash.

Hauerg

THAT is bs.

In fact engine intrusion is a killer, especially with the longitudional mounted ones.

Ron

If you will actually read my comment before pointing a finger, you will see that I said “I personally think Tesla has overstated and rushed its autopilot to the market”. Not sure how that implies that I believe they are the safest cars in the world. For the record, I don’t think they are the safest. I do however think its ridiculous that ever single Tesla crash is now a headline regardless of the cause.

If the autopilot was indeed on and the car deliberately ran itself into a pond without allowing the driver to take control to avoid the accident, then okay, report away. The problem I have is that at the time this was posted, no one knew and still doesn’t know what happened, therefore its just another unfortunate accident.

Brent Morrison

Discussing facts with a Tesla fan boy is like talking to yourself to a wall.

Auf Wiedersehen

I’m honestly surprised the media hasn’t named it yet. “Tesla-gate” since every controversy, real or man made, has to have “gate” at the end. Thank you Watergate hotel!!

LWOAP

I hate when they put gate behind everything.

Brent Morrison

Bill Gates?

LWOAP

Except him. That’s fine.

LWOAP

This is only news because it’s a Tesla but considering how much attention Tesla gets everything about the brand is going to get reported.

I’m just waiting for another Twitter response from Elon.

Brent Morrison

Tesla is the new Apple

TheBelltower

Good. And conventional automakers are the new Micron.

Brent Morrison

Not really. Have you heard? Apple is falling behind. Reality Distortion Field penetrated to your ding dong bell tower it seems.

TheBelltower

If you say so. Apple owns 10% of the PC market and 40% of the phone market. An endless list of others comprise 90% and 60% respectively. Apple is a premium product, while other brands of hardware are practically given away. That’s the reality my friend. How’s that for my reality distortion field?

Premium is only a perception. Premium does not mean better. I feel like talking to a wall, that’s how strong the Reality Distortion Field is.

TheBelltower

“premium” is not only perception. It has to do with the customer demand and what people will pay for something. In certain industries and venues, any Wework space for instance, if you walk in carrying a Microsoft based product you might as be wearing pleated chinos and a fanny pack.

Dr Strangefingger

Two words: Teslikaze Pilot

danno

That car left the road at a pretty high rate of speed to cause that kind of damage to the rear.

Christian

turns out that the Fiat UNO is more safer…

Auf Wiedersehen

I think safer is sufficient. That or more safe.

(Grammar Police weapon holstered)

Christian

We live in 2018… You can identifies how ever you wanna spell safe…

Auf Wiedersehen

Oh so, grammar became unnecessary in January? I see.

Hans_Remore

Hope the fishies were okay.

Auf Wiedersehen

Do you have those Volvo stats? If not, then you have no basis for your comment.

Auf Wiedersehen

I’m gonna bet the “driver” (and use that term loosely) was asleep in the back, the Tesla took a wrong turn and the, passenger at that point, was knocked out and drowned.

Mynameis Taylor

all these reports of Tesla crashes seem like smear campaigns. I don’t recall one report of a Tesla crashing because a malfunction. In each death, weren’t the drivers speeding and not properly using the auto pilot ( which is pretty much advance cruise control). It’s not an airplane. you have to DRIVE the car

Brent Morrison

Tell that to the fanboys

KenjiK

Maybe Tesla should stop their marketing BS and call it as it is : an advanced cruise control, not “autopilot”.

Paul

It was probably in autopilot mode too.

ProtectOurHeritage

I’d be amazed if it wasn’t.

Eagle By Singer

It apparently wasn’t. Apparently.

ProtectOurHeritage

I’ll wait for the coroner’s report.

Anthony James

But Tesla say these are the safest cars on the road? Begs the question, what’s more important for a company to spend time on- Electric doors or safety tests?

Brent Morrison

Their owners and employees are beta testers. The worst part is that they are paying lots of money to be one.

Auf Wiedersehen

And I quote “In Britain”. Is this car not sold anywhere else?

ProtectOurHeritage

Yes, in Britain. However, that’s an amazing record! I guess these Volvos aren’t fitted with dangerous autonomous technology, like the Tesla, that seems to actively encourage drivers to take their eyes off the road.